


Control

by Kalua



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: (It's not really their mind being controlled so I guess I'll make up that tag), Angst, Gen, Horror adjacent, I guess? Tbh I'm not sure, It's not really horror I think but it's supposed to be a bit unsettling so, body control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 20:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20627321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalua/pseuds/Kalua
Summary: Kris has grown used to being controlled by something else. They hate it, but it's not like they can change it... Can they?





	Control

They can feel it the moment Toriel calls out to them. The same words they’ve heard so often, the same familiar feeling that control has been taken away. The others don’t even notice, don’t realize they’ve lived the same day over and over again.

Their mother still calls them Kris, but Kris hasn’t been able to talk to her in a long, long time. Not really, at least. They’re just a spectator now, a watcher, and someone else picks the words.

Some times, Kris is made to rush through everything, not listening to a word anyone says—not that it would matter, they’ve heard it often enough to memorize it all. Other times, they’re forced to take it painstakingly slow, running back to the beginning time and time again until their legs burn like fire, but are unable to give in.

It seems like this one will be a slow day, too. Kris is made to check the birdcage. The only proof that what’s happening, what they remember, is actually real. Kris has fought against it, tried to gain back control, time and time again, but no matter what they do, they end up waking up this exact morning, everyone’s memories wiped completely.

The same drive to school, the same problems with not having a partner, the same threats from Susie. It’s strange seeing her so hostile. Sometimes, Kris wonders if their controller is scared when she threatens them—they were, the first time at least. But after a few rounds, it became clear nothing was going to happen.

Kris hasn’t wondered in a long time, though. It doesn’t matter.

Nothing does.

Once they’re stranded in the Dark World again, Kris feels something at least akin to worry. It will reset anyway, so it’s not like it truly matters, but they still don’t like hurting the Darkners. What’s happening isn’t their fault, after all.

It seems like Kris is lucky this time. Right when Ralsei starts explaining how to fight, they’re made to hug the little prince. It doesn’t mean much, but usually, when they get to hug Ralsei, they don’t have to hurt the Darkners.

A second hug. Kris knows they can make some small decisions—it’s just not worth it, most of the time. They’ve given up trying to break out of the cycle a long time ago, after each and every effort had been futile.

But… Maybe. Just maybe.

At the third hug, Kris tries asking for help, but the only thing that comes out of their mouth is a tiny whimper.

Ralsei doesn’t react. Maybe he didn’t even notice. He’d try to help, Kris is sure of it, but how should they tell him if they can’t talk?

And they don’t get another chance; their controller finally finishes the tutorial.

After that, everything goes as normal. Susie leaves their team for Lancer’s, just for both of them to join later on. Kris forgets the name their team has just moments after the lots are drawn.

Until the castle. They’re thrown in the dungeons as usual, yes, and Kris is even forced to eat some of the moss—yuck!—but then…

Ralsei suggests they focus all their thoughts on Susie. That hadn’t happened before, and moments later, Kris feels that _thing_ leave.

They fall to their knees, panting, trying to draw a deep breath but unable to calm down enough for it. “Ralsei, what…”

But Ralsei shakes his head. “We don’t have much time. The way I know Susie, she’ll be with us in no time. I’ve read about it, in some old legends, but didn’t think it was real until now. You can break out of it, Kris, okay? It’s possible. Maybe if you find someone who knows, someone who has enough power… I heard there’s someone in this kingdom who’s gone insane, but what if that was just because they’ve realized something?”

It worked. Their cry for help had been answered. Kris does his best to remember every word Ralsei says, scared they won’t get another chance for this, that they’ll be stuck in this forever.

Far, far too soon, Kris feels control being taken away from them again, but it was long enough to let Ralsei finish his explanation.

Afterwards, everything keeps going as normal, but now, Kris is paying attention again. For the first time, they spot another option in the elevator, labeled only with question marks. And they’re immediately forced to push it, the elevator descending even deeper than the cells.

It means a lot of running back and forth again. They wonder why Susie and Ralsei take it so well, so much better than Kris does, but they can’t ask, of course. They can just hope that this Jevil is able to help them.

He sounds promising, at first. Talks about everything being a game… That would explain it, at least. And after dying once, Jevil even skips the talk—probably to the confusion of Susie and Ralsei, but it proves to Kris that Jevil knows more than the other Darkners.

But that’s all Jevil does. After Kris is forced to do many, many pirouettes, Ralsei can finally pacify him, but that only ends with them getting his tail. Not a word about how Kris might escape this control, not even a hint. Despite Ralsei’s help, it was hopeless.

Kris should’ve known better, anyway.

They’d tried time and time again. Why would this one be different?

They hear the same words from the Spade King, the same threats towards Lancer, everything goes as it always does. A small part of Kris wonders if Ralsei knows meeting Jevil failed, if he’s sad about it. A bigger part of them doesn’t care.

But then the battle ends, and things change. Why? Ralsei never healed the king before. He’d just told him to get some rest.

The Spade King, of course, uses his new strength to attack. Kris isn’t sure how they survived, all they can feel is pain, but they can’t give up now. The King readies another attack towards Susie, and for just a few seconds, Kris is in control again, barely long enough to block the attack.

But it doesn’t last. Of course it doesn’t.

Lancer comes to their rescue, just as he always does. Kris and Susie end up talking to everyone once again, first in the Dark World, and then in Hometown, too. Kris wishes they could go home already, but it’s not like they’d get to make this decision. What’s their controller’s obsession with asking Undyne about their teacher? Why do they promise to go to that skeleton’s house? Can’t they let Kris have even one day to themself?

In the end, they do get home and finally, finally go to sleep. Sleeping means freedom. It’s the only time Kris doesn’t belong to anyone but themself.

But the dreams won’t come tonight. The control always weakens a bit during the night; the first few nights, Kris had used that to fight, to get the control over his body back. It never lasted more than a night. So Kris had given up, but after what happened… There’d been _differences_. They weren’t big enough to change anything, not yet, but they had been there.

Kris can’t give up now.

One last try. Just one more.

That cursed SOUL is back in its cage. Kris is free… But for how long?

No. They won’t allow it to happen again.

Asriel’s old gardening dagger is still under his bed.

Kris won’t be controlled anymore. This was the last time.

They won’t bow to you anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> I usually prefer happy-fluffy headcanons for everything (I'm soft, let me be), but darker/angstier ones are nice from time to time. I wrote the fic months ago after first playing Deltarune, but I only got around to editing it recently.  
<strike>Also I'm like really proud of the last couple of lines, idk why but I like them</strike>


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